Cry no more
by xx Lawliet xx
Summary: Nate river used to be an overly emotional child, but a new life and a new person in it will change him forever. Sorry, summery sucks, this is my first fanfic and hope you will give it a read and tell me what you think.Enjoy xx


Nate River, known strictly as Near to all but a few, sat quietly on the floor of the playroom in his soon to be ex-home Wammy's house. As Near shifted his position slightly, clutching a model airplane to his chest, the gaze of his storm coloured eyes was drawn towards the nearest window where a thunder storm was battering the house with rain and wind. Near's mind instantly snapped to Mello, the boy who had left the orphanage to find his own path not half an hour before.

'Will he be okay?' was the only thought on the small 13 year olds usually busy mind. The rain had started up only seconds after Mello's departure and he surely could not have found shelter yet. Near ran his hands through his hair, his right automatically grasping and beginning to curl a lock of his snow white hair, he could hear the sounds of the other children laughing, and cutlery hitting plates from the dining hall. He knew that none of them would notice that he was not present, but felt sure that Mello's aggressive presence would soon be noticed to be missing. Although Mello would often be classed as somewhat of a bully, the children would feel the gap his leaving left, and Near knew that when he left shortly to take his place as the new L and begin his new own Kira investigation, that their would be no gap, however small, in the other orphans lives. As he contemplated this, Near realised that it did not bother him in the slightest, the only people whose opinion mattered to him were the deceased L and the boy who had just walked out of his life, though Near's intuition told him that he would see Mello again.

Near had not always been so unemotional, when he had first arrived at Wammy's at the age of five, he had been what is commonly known as a 'cry baby' and it was thanks to Mello, who had conveniently arrived the very same day, that Near became more stoic. As the young boy contemplated this he let go of his hair and pulled his knees to his chest, the toy airplane falling onto the carpet with a quiet thud. Near shivered slightly as lightning flashed through the sky and the children in the dining hall shrieked in a mixture of delight and fear. Near remembered his first day at Wammy's and his first encounter with Mihael Keehl as well as he remembered what had happened that morning.

Near, then still known as Nate, had been with foster parents when the kindly Robert came to his door one afternoon in August. His temporary family had noticed his gifts and had told him only that morning that he was going somewhere he could do all the puzzles he wanted. Young Near, being the genius he was, knew that they were simply moving him on. He was used to this of course, being an orphan since birth, but this information made his impending departure no easier for the small boy to bear. He had become used to this family, they treated him well and gave him all the space he needed, and now he was faced with the unknown stretching out in front of him again. So when a soft knock came to his front door and his kindly foster mother hurried to answer it, Nate River could be found crouched under the dining room table clutching a transformer given to him by his first foster parents. As he heard the lock click open he withdrew further under the table with a soft whimper, but to no prevail, as soon, the shiny black shoes of an unknown man appeared in Near's view, and the face of said man then appeared, peering under the table at the small shaking boy who was now close to tears.

Near had been ushered to the mans car with little fuss, both his foster parents, who Near would miss dearly regardless of them sending him away, hugged him goodbye and held back their tears. Near, being a small, over emotional child, had been unable to hold his emotions so well and cried openly as his bags were loaded into Robert's (Near now knew his name) car, and held onto the plastic toy in his grasp as hard as his small hands permitted before being gently led into the backseat of the large black car and saying his final farewells. As the car made its way to his new home Near contemplated what Robert had told him before they left. He had been ushered into a back room of his house by Robert, where the truth of his new home and its' true purpose were revealed to him. Although he was young, Near had heard of L in his short life, the adults around him had spoken the mans name in worshipping tones and Near was well aware of what the man did. So to be told that he was going to be educated to see if he had the potential to be the next L was astonishing to the boy, but his fears were still not quelled by this information.

The several hour long ride was quiet for the most part, other than Robert questioning Near occasionally on mundane subjects. It wasn't until halfway through the ride that Robert suddenly dropped on Near that he must obtain a new name.

"But why?" Near had questioned, although he already knew the answer and simply spoke to try to hide the tears threatening to fall.

"For your safety" Was the brisk reply and it was clear that nothing else was to be said on the subject.

"From know on, you shall be known as Near." Robert then elaborated in a much gentler voice, as if it was perfectly normal to ask somebody to change their given name.

"Oh…ok" Nate, now Near, stuttered, what else was he to do but accept it?

Suddenly the shiny black car pulled into a long gravel driveway and Nears eyes travelled to the grand building that was Wammy's house.

Near half stumbled through the halls of the huge house having been shown his room and presented to the other children. He had escaped from the shrieking, laughing mob of the other children as soon as possible, trying his best not to break into sobs again at the enormity of his situation. A kindly carer had given him a small, battered, stuffed dog that was now securely tucked into his pocket with the transformer. His heart felt too big for his chest and his eyes were beginning to sting with unshed tears as his feet, clad only in white socks pulled him toward the playroom. Once he stepped inside he instantly wanted to leave as he came face to face with another boy. This boy looked about a year older than him with longish blonde hair, and he was sucking on a chocolate bar.

"Hey" the unknown boy voiced without removing the chocolate from his mouth. When Near didn't reply and only let out a small whimper, rather than being concerned, the boy seemed to grow annoyed.

"What the hells your problem?" he almost spat with a glare at Near as he sat himself in a leather chair.

"Nothing" Near spoke quietly, he supposed he should make an effort with this boy as he looked like he could be trouble to Near if he didn't. "What's your name, I'm Na…Near"

"Humph , an alias huh? Well mines Mello………….So, I just got here, so you better tell me what this place is like" Mello spoke in his faint accent that Near could not place, slouching down further into his chair, and sucking on his chocolate the entire time.

"Um..I don't really know. I just got here too, they…they took me from my foster family" Near mumbled, the tears that had dried up at seeing Mello now threatened to fall again.

"Huh, count yourself lucky kid, I never had anyone who wanted me, but this place sure sounds better then that last place I was at, and of course its gonna be me that becomes the next L, none of the idiots here even compare to me….hey are you listening?" Mello now stood up and walked to Nears side, said boy had collapsed to his knees on the floor clutching at the fluffy toy dog and using it to wipe his eyes.

Near looked up at Mello looming over him and felt the other boys boot clad foot tap his leg.

"Hey, cheer up cry baby, its not that bad, were here for a reason right? Because were the best of the best, so what ya cryin for? You'll never be the next L if you're a cry baby" Mello sneered, throwing his chocolate rapper into a nearby trashcan with perfect aim. The next thing Near felt with shock was Mello hoisting him up from the floor by his right elbow.

"Come on you little idiot, you gotta know this place better than I do so show me……..or do you want me to make you cry harder?!" Mello was now tugging a reluctant Near from the room.

Near an Mello explored the entirety of the house, and even though Mello was rude, crude and mean Near felt better with every second he spent with the boy, as if Mello's very presence quelled Nears fear. Although the two boys were not considered friends, Mello would still always be found comforting Near if another child destroyed one of his toys or models, and through Mello and his brash attitude Near began to be able to control his emotions better and look at things in a more detached way, even when Mello himself let his emotions rule him. No, the two were not friends, not even comrades, they became polar opposites as they grew, fire and ice and as they matured the rivalry and tension grew.

It was eight years after their arrival when the fateful news that would change their lives forever came.

"L is dead"

The thirteen year old Near was jerked out of his memories by another violent flash of lightning and roll of thunder. As soon as the storm passed by he would be leaving Wammy's house to go on the trail of Kira as L's successor. Near shakily got to his feet and stretched, eyes still glued to the window. With a sigh Near realised that although he had become cold and indifferent in others eyes, he would always somewhat be the small shaking five year old unable to hold back his tears, and he would miss Mello greatly, even if know one ever knew he did. Although the two boys were far from friends, Near knew that he owed everything he was to Mihael Keehl, but he was also his own person now, the person destined to become the successor to the worlds greatest detective……. L.

Well, that was my first fanfiction, not sure what I think of it, hmmmmmmm well, what do **you think, I'd appreciate any comments good or bad! **


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